Department of Fine Arts : St. John's University

Majors in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Illustration & Photography

Since its first season in September, 1994, the Dr. M. T. Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery has been dedicated to the exhibition of all forms of contemporary art. It brings to the Queens campus works of art created by well known and emerging artists of regional, national and international backgrounds. Hosting seven exhibitions each academic year, the shows fall into five categories: The Invitational, The Juried National, Theme and the annual Faculty and Student exhibitions.

In today’s world, the artistic practices of illustrators are closely associated with a wide range of disciplines and mediums that demonstrate the versatile nature of illustration. Kerpoof!, is an exhibition showcasing the creative process of contemporary illustrators and animators. The artists in this exhibit demonstrate the ability to articulate specific personal voices in their work by engaging technological advancements that allow a greater freedom to make art.

Kerpoof! provides an overview of various professional possibilities such as animation, comic book illustration, advertising and 3D design. The diversity of these works will enrich each visitor’s knowledge about art and demonstrate the illustrator’s versatility in supplying creative strategies that suffice the demands of the marketplace.

OpensTuesday, December 1, 2009EndsFeb. 16, 2010

CURATOR'S STATEMENT

Do you remember the first time a comic book or a cartoon became more than just a collection of illustrations or animations? Can you recall the moment that comics were no longer just the funny pages but felt like something else - something with a soul?

When I was eleven I visited the Big Apple Comic Con in Manhattan. I felt a profound sensory overload as I stepped inside the packed basement of St. Paul the Apostle Church. The event had an energy-charged atmosphere that rivaled the buzz of the city street outside. I was in awe witnessing an entire childhood’s worth of memories come to life. The heroes and villains whose adventures I had followed had come alive and seemed tangible.

I explored the convention; I was drawn to a tightly huddled crowd surrounding a narrow fold-up table. I wedged myself into the crowd to get a closer look. Sitting behind the table was an artist from DC comics. His physicality was just as interesting to look at as were his comics. He wore a bushy black mustache and had round bifocals set low on his nose. He sat surrounded by an assortment of brushes, reams of bright white paper and black India ink.

In less than five minutes he drew Batman, the Joker, and many of my other favorite characters in multiple poses. He even took requests from fans. The process was fascinating. A fan would ask for an image of Batman jumping out of a window or the Joker with his menacing smile and in quick, bold, and confident strokes the artist actualized the characters on to the surface of the paper.

Yuko Shimizu, Tiger Bear Campaign, Digital Illustration

Up to that point in my life I never questioned how comics were made. I came to realize that there was much more to comics than just colorful illustrations. There were individuals behind the scenes creating characters and narratives. These individuals understood the creative process and made art for eager audiences. The day at the Comic Con convention remained in my memory.

In today’s world, the artistic practices of illustrators are closely associated with a wide range of disciplines and mediums that demonstrate the versatile nature of illustration. Kerpoof !, is an exhibition showcasing the creative process of contemporary illustrators and animators. The artists in this exhibit demonstrate the ability to articulate specific personal voices in their work by engaging technological advancements that allow a greater freedom to make art.

Displayed throughout the exhibit are preliminary sketches, storyboards, and final drawings that give insight into the different stages of creation. The images illustrate the conception of the idea provided by the client, the articulation of the idea by the artist, and the final manifestation of the product through production. The works in this exhibition share a common thread: the concept of illustration and how it is manifested in a field that is constantly evolving and adapting to the pace of a highly technological world.

I encourage the current generation of students to experience the display and explore the multiple directions that can be taken to achieve a successful career in the arts. Kerpoof! provides an overview of various professional possibilities such as animation, comic book illustration, advertising and 3D design. The diversity of these works will enrich each visitor’s knowledge about art and demonstrate the illustrator’s versatility in supplying creative strategies that suffice the demands of the marketplace.

Daniel DaSilvaCuratorAdjunct ProfessorDepartment of Fine Arts

ARTIST INFORMATIONAdam KidderAdam Kidder is freelance illustrator whose work has been published in Playboy magazine, Surfing magazine, New York Press, Royal Flush magazine, Broken Wrist Project book series and Revolver magazine. American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators have included Adam’s work in their Annuals.

Jeff HuangJeff Huang is a graphic artist and illustrator that specializes mainly in digital illustration and photo manipulation. He has extensive knowledge in 3D modeling & animation and motion graphics & compositing. His career as a professional freelancer has grown steadily. His work has been featured in many publications such as Adobe's Design Center, Digital Arts Magazine, Computer Arts Magazine, and Advanced Photoshop Magazine. He is currently represented by Debut Art, a company that represents illustrators and artists from around the world.Leonardo RodriguezLeonardo Rodriguez is a freelance Illustrator living and working in Barcelona, Spain. His work has been featured in MAD magazine, NY, Barcanova Publishers, Barcelona, RBA Publishers, Barcelona, and in El Universal Journal, Caracas, Venezuela. He has also worked as an art director for Dancing Diablo Studio, NY, where he worked on the production of Go Wild campaign for the Bronx Zoo. Collaborates as a cartoonist for several sections of MAD magazine such as “Fundallini” pages and “Inspirational Stories” amongst other assignments. He has received awards from Curuxa Gráfica at the Fene’s Humor Museum, Juan Rulfo Award at the La Maison de l’Amérique latine in Paris and the Pedro León Zapata National Award in Caracas, Venezuela.Mu PanMu Pan is an artist based in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Mu makes paper sculptures which he calls “Origamu.” He credits his sparked interest in paper began when he volunteered at the cancer center of Bellevue hospital in New York City where he showed various techniques to create roses using only paper and scissors. Exploring the medium further he has created fantastic historical and mythological figures.

Nathan FoxNathan Fox is a freelance illustrator and comic book artist based in Kansas City. He has been published in TIME magazine, the New Yorker, Instant Winner (skateboard company). His work can be found on the covers and in the pages of comic books such as DC/Vertigo, Dark Horse and Heavy Metal. Nathan has received awards from the Society of Illustrators.

Paul HoppePaul Hoppe is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, New York. He does editorial and advertisement work in the corporate environment. His work has been published in the New Yorker, Boston Phoenix, Village Voice, Wall Street Journal, IBM Seed and Adidas. He serves as art director for Rabid Rabbit magazine. He has been recognized for his talents and given the Joseph Morgan Henniger Award, Best of Show from the Society of Illustrators of LA, along with mention and medals from American Illustration, Communication Arts, Society of Illustrators, Freistil, and European Media Arts Festival awards.

Rauch BrothersRauch Bros. Animation is a studio that collaborates with visionaries in literature, music, performance, and other creative arts through character design, animation, and visual storytelling. Mike and Tim Rauch’s animation documentary German in the Woods received 2nd place at ASIFA - East Animation Festival in New York.

Yuko ShimizuYuko Shimizu is a freelance illustrator based in New York City recognized by Newsweek Japan as one of "100 Japanese People The World Respects" in 2009. Her work has been featured in numerous publications including Microsoft, Pepsi, VISA, MTV, The Gap, Warner Elektra Atlantic Music, TIME, New York Times, New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and GQ. Yuko has received awards from the Society of Illustrators and Spectrum, and given the Magazine of the Year Award from the Society of Publication Designers, Gold and Silver Awards from the Society of Illustrators in LA, and Gold and Silver Awards from 3x3 Magazine Annual American Illustration.St. John’s UniversityFor more information on this exhibit, or for directions please call (718) 990-7476